I’ve been hearing quite a bit about schools that are considering or have already made the step to create gender specific classrooms. The idea rests on the belief that boys and girls learn better when separated. Proponents of this theory believe boys and girls learn differently—whether innately or developed—and therefore need to be taught differently in environments suited specifically for them.
If only a stereotype, boys are often described as being more rambunctious than girls and have trouble sitting still for extended periods of time. Conversely, girls are often thought to be quieter and more attentive. Of course, this theory isn’t across the board, but generally, does it hold up? Boys are more likely to have Attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It occurs at least 2.5 times more often in male students than their female counterparts, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Will separating classrooms by gender strengthen the educational environment and weed out coed distractions, or is it just meaningless segregation?
We’ve been trying that out at local schools where I live. On the one hand, the teachers love it. They say that the classroom is easier to manage, and that the kids don’t continue to segregate themselves once they’re out of the classroom.
I don’t like to see it, though. History has shown us that “separate but equal” doesn’t really work. For years, I’ve been seeing teachers with mixed classrooms choose nonfiction books “for the boys” or pick a craft project for science because “I have practically all girls.” How will we ensure that these stereotypes don’t limit learning for science-minded girls and creative boys?